Border Shifts

By: Natalia Ribas-Mateos

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Synopsis: Are borders passive sites where structure prevails? Are they an ordinary type of social filter? What does it mean today to have a Moroccan coffee shop in front of the Museum of the Exile in La Jonquera, Spain? The classic open-closed dichotomy of borders has become outdated. A more complex and multifaceted approach and understanding is now required. Through an analysis of new mobilities within the European Union and controls at, amongst others, the US-Mexico border, Border Shifts sheds light on the changing nature of national and regional boundaries in Europe and beyond. By identifying and examining the contradictory functions of boundaries in the EU, Ribas-Mateos explores the multiplicity of borders. She shows how borders can be simultaneously open and closed, delving into their varying degrees of permeability and highlighting the fact that borders in a global context are not simply unbounded but rebounded. The ambiguity of contemporary borders is examined in depth by considering border spaces and cities both within and outside of the EU, specifically looking at the mobilities that they create or deny. Border Shifts tackles the main issues related to global borders such as securitization, irregular migration, racism, complex gender and human trafficking with an emphasis on globalization, Europeanization and Mediterranean influences on the Arab world.